The main distinction of the tabla is the pairing of two different types of single-headed drums, whereas the dukkar, dukra, and duggi are pairs of the same type and the mridangam and dhol are double-headed, barrel-shaped drums.

A common legendary account3 credits the 13th century Indian poet Amir Khusrau as the inventor by splitting a single Pakhawaj drum into two. 'thoda, tab bhi bola - tabla': 'When broke, it still spoke' - a fairly well-known, though almost certainly mythical Hindi pun None of his writings on music mention the drum, but this apparent tradition of late invention, combined with the absence of the instrument in South Indian music and the closed-ended, paired design that relates it to the Western clay-drums and tympani, altogether supports the view that the tabla is a comparatively recent development in northern Indian music.